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[Electric Speed] Second opinions | resume-building tool | Substack alternatives
Electric Speed is a biweekly newsletter that shares resources for creative people (since 2009!), brought to you by Jane Friedman. Sign up here. |
A note from Jane The older I get, the more I seek out second opinions. Recently I needed to find a new orthodontist to make me a replacement retainer. My usual solution for these problems is a Google search. I browsed orthodontists based on website quality (personal quirk of mine), proximity to my home, and seeming openness to my situation. I thought my retainer request would be relatively straightforward, but the first orthodontist I saw outright refused to make me one. She thought I had a host of problems and she wasn’t going to be responsible for making them worse. She wrote a letter to my dentist explaining all the things that I needed instead of a new retainer. I left with great anxiety and a dentist appointment, wondering what had just happened. But after a day passed, I gathered my wits, canceled the dentist appointment, and looked for other orthodontists in town. Long story short, I’m getting a new retainer just as I had originally envisioned. The second orthodontist thought that preserving the status quo in my situation was just fine. And so did I. Jane ISSUE SPONSORJane’s Electric Speed ListHere are some of the latest things I’ve discovered. (I am not paid to mention any of these resources; there are no affiliate links.) Looking for an alternative to Substack?I’m not saying you need or want an alternative, but this question has been in the air lately. If and when you have a desire to switch services, I’d take a look at Buttondown if you’re looking strictly for an email newsletter service. If you need something that’s more like email newsletter + website, I’d consider Ghost. However, neither solution is free. (Another contender is Beehiiv, but Beehiiv is highly leveraged. The other two are not.) Need an in-depth analysis? I trust this source. Google Podcasts is discontinuing—now what?Google Podcasts will go away by the end of this year; they are pushing users to listen to podcasts as part of YouTube Music. If you would rather find another podcast app, a listserv I belong to suggests Hark as one option. Or, review others recommended by The Verge. A free and open-source resume builderLooking for a new job this year? Time to dust off your resume or CV? I recently learned about Reactive Resume, which can import data from LinkedIn. No tracking or ads! H/t Tech Productivity Best music of 2023 + discover new musicEvery year, my husband, Mark, spends countless hours deciding what he considers the best albums of the year. Most of the artists he chooses you probably haven’t heard; he has eclectic taste. Browse his list and discover new music. NEXT ONLINE CLASSJan. 13: Write Compelling Query Letters for Novel & Memoir with Jane Friedman The query letter has one purpose, and one purpose only: to seduce the agent or editor into reading or requesting your work. Jane has edited more than 5,000 query letters during her career—her industry experience gives her exceptional insight into what agents and editors see all the time, and what will or will not be memorable. Learn the best practices of query writing for novel and memoir, so that you can submit your work with confidence.
Your turn: new-to-you authorsIn the last issue, I asked you to share a new author (new to you) that you discovered in 2023. You delivered! Here is a selection of what you had to say.
Browse the full and fascinating list! Next question: For those who like to color, sketch, or illustrate on a daily basis: What is your favorite coloring pencil kit, or similar, that travels well? Hit reply to this message, or head over to Discord to share. Free resources featuring Jane
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Electric Speed: resources for creative people
by Jane Friedman
About 30,000 people receive my newsletter. I send it every two weeks. Subscribe and get a free list of my favorite digital tools.
Electric Speed is a biweekly newsletter that shares resources for creative people (since 2009!), brought to you by Jane Friedman. Sign up here. A note from Jane The best quality books are not the ones that typically sell. The most talented writers are not always well known. The worthiest information rarely spreads the farthest. Or: The cream does not necessarily rise to the top. This is a message I repeat across my classes and writings, not to discourage people, but to reassure. It applies to...
Electric Speed is a biweekly newsletter that shares resources for creative people (since 2009!), brought to you by Jane Friedman. Sign up here. A note from Jane One of the best literature classes I ever took was called Shadow Literature. It focused on texts that subtly expressed the Jungian theory of the shadow self, or the parts of ourselves that we find unacceptable (whether emotions, thoughts, or personality traits). While the shadow self isn’t inherently negative, it’s what we repress or...
Electric Speed is a biweekly newsletter that shares resources for creative people (since 2009!), brought to you by Jane Friedman. Sign up here. A note from Jane I’ve had a trick shoulder for a decade now, the result of a pinched nerve that was never treated properly. Due to a mixture of laziness and hopelessness, I gave up on achieving normalcy. Recently, someone questioned why I wasn’t seeing a therapist for it. So I began reflecting on why I’d given up on healing. When it comes to a few...